Watch for fresh wind slabs and give cornices a wide berth.
Travel conditions below treeline will deteriorate with rain forecast and then cooling temperatures.
10-20 cm of fresh snow and strong-extreme winds overnight will form reactive wind slabs. Assess the snowpack as you go, looking for these stiff deposits of snow.
Be aware of large cornices overhead, or as you approach/walk along ridgelines. There have been several close calls the last few days with people getting too close and luckily not being taken with the collapsing mass of snow.
Cooling temperatures will start to strengthen the snowpack below treeline. Use caution on slopes where the surface is loose and the snowpack is unsupportive. These loose avalanches may start small but can gather surprising mass quickly.
Isolated natural avalanches up to size 3 were observed in north facing terrain on Tuesday. The avalanche hazard will rise overnight with forecast weather.
On Sunday 2 people had a close call on Ursus Minor, narrowly being missed by a sz 2 which then launched over the cliffs below.
Also on Sunday, a skier was taken for a ride on Youngs Peak, and another triggered a large cornice along the ridge line.
Another close call with a cornice occurred along the ridgeline of Cheops on Sat.
A spring storm will add rain to the snowpack, changing to snow on Wednesday. This new load, accompanied with strong winds, will build fresh wind slabs on lee features.
At treeline a widespread crust down 30-40cm extends into the alpine on solar aspects.
The Feb 3rd crust/facet layer persists 80-140cm down. The mid and lower snowpack is well settled and strong with a record low depth of snow of ~210cm at tree line.
A cold front brings cool, unstable air to our region through the next few days.
Tonight: Cloudy w/rain+snow, 5-10 cm, Alp Low: -6, Ridge Wind: SW 25 gusting to 75 km/h, Snow level: 1300 m
Wed: Cloudy w/flurries, 5 cm, Alp High: -5, Winds: W-15 gusting to 45 km/h, Snow Level: 1100 m
Thur: Clouds/Sun/Flurries, Alp High: -3, Mod East Winds
Fri: Cloudy w/sunny periods, Alp High: 1, Light ridge winds
